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The Phoenix Republic
From embers - fire, from fire - ash, from ashes - life. The Marissians have always been a people that went against the tide, both common folk and their leaders alike. Indeed, time and again, the lands of Maris have been the centre of all the ground-shaking ideas that spearheaded Astros forth through the book of history. From imperial times unto present day, these seaborn and temperamentive Southern Astrian folk persist in their ability to surprise the rest of the peninsula, their most recent 'surprise' being the first successful single republic since before the Astrian Empire - the Phoenix Republic. According to the ideology of Felix I "the Red" di Aurelii, the only way for a republic to survive is to have a centralised and strong rule of one person, elected or otherwise appointed. His distant descendant, Felix II, has taken upon the task of making sure his ancestor's words were put to action. Swiftly overthrowing his cousin Duchess Elisa di Aurelii in a rapid coup d'etat, which was successful due to the fact that the Marissian nobles have grown frustrated over Elisa's timidity and indecisiveness, the young daredevil seized the ducal throne of Maris. His first edict became his last edict as duke - the Duchy is disbanded, the title of 'Duke' dissolved, and Maris was declared a Republic instead, aptly named after the mythical Phoenix. Indeed, much like the bird of legend, Maris once again rose from one of its lower points in history to one of its highest. The holder of the office of Duce was declared the head of state, with the person in charge being elected for life. Felix was highly supported by the Marissian nobles in the first election, and became the first Duce of the Republic. His rule has been riddled with avant-gardesque decisions - the Marissian navy has been reformed to be able to carry cannons instead of ballistae onboard, the majority of the navy has been equipped with firearms, and once the navy had been reformed, the land army began undergoing major changes and retraining. Having solidified a seat of power for himself and his family, Felix II now sits sturdily in his office. The Duce now holds even more power than the old dukes, and the internal politics of the Republic are as calm as the sea on a windless day. But the Phoenix is yet to settle down in his nest - opponents and competitors lurk around aplenty. The Duchy of Arefellia, formed slightly earlier than the Phoenix Republic, poses a solid threat to the Marissians - with strong land military and skilled marksmen, the Union could wage successful war against the growing avantgardist state. Just like war, trade is also a harsh battle zone. The Crescentada and the Lorencian acquisition of the Kyrtecan forests have forced the prices of wood to decrease, making shipbuilding a less expensive task. But the Marissians aren't the only ones to profit from this - the neighbouring Aesturans are just as skilled with woodworks as the seaborn folk, and this fact holds true even when concerning shipbuilding. Business opponents, such as Roc and Sirdutta, have been yet another worry to the naval trade-reliant state. Rumours have it that said factions have secretly employed unofficial privateers to help them bog down the Marissian trade lines. And speaking of privateers, an even less official threat comes from the south of the Republic - the unruly Sealord Dominion, a small well-naturally protected island, infamous among the Astrians for being the hive of all piracy in the seas of the region. For all that, the Phoenix struggles, but does not falter - a fierce ruler with a cool head is all the Republic needs to usher in the age of fire, soaring above all others... Category:Factions